This invention relates generally to the dispensing of liquids and deals more particularly with a dispensing device that is constructed to dispense liquid in measured amounts.
Liquids such as liquid soap and bleach must be applied in measured doses in order to effectively perform their intended functions. The cap which covers the container of the product is commonly used for measurement purposes. In the case of liquids, the use of the cap to measure the amount of the product to be used can create a considerable mess. In addition, time is consumed in filling the cap to the required level and then pouring out the contents of the cap. It is also common for the doses to vary significantly when this procedure is used. If it is intended for the dosage to be increased or decreased, "eyeballing" is typically employed and considerable inaccuracies can result.
My co-pending application, Ser. No. 090,606 filed on Aug. 28, 1987, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,149, discloses various dispensing devices which can accurately dispense consistent doses of liquid. The present invention is directed to yet another dispensing device which uses hydraulic principles to dispense measured doses of liquids.
It is a particularly important feature of the invention that the dispensing device has a simple construction and is devoid of mechanical complexities, thus permitting it to be mass produced at a relatively low cost. In accordance with the invention, a rigid container for liquid has a shell with a bottom opening and a stem which extends from the shell out through the top of the container. A vent conduit extends beside the shell and stem and is apertured to allow air to enter the container. A specially constructed shutter controls the aperture exposure to allow variation in the amount of liquid entering the shell to be dispersed.